Earrings
by Zoja
Summary: What if Gates decided to act a little differently after she found the earrings Castle placed in her pocket instead of Beckett's?


_I don't own Castle or its characters, even if sometimes I wish I did._

**A/N: **My first Castle fanfiction. It's just a piece that appeared in my head and didn't want to get out of there. Well, I can only hope it's not that bad :)

* * *

Victoria Gates looked at box in her hand, where the set of earrings and the note was. To say that she was surprised, when she found it, would be a huge understatement. She was completely shocked and angry, but then it all dawned on her. She understood why Castle was circling around her so much, why he told Beckett that she had a wrong jacket. She smiled to herself; she could be a tough woman, but she was one after all and could see the romantic side in this. The more she thought about it, her conviction that Castle placed the gift in the wrong place became bigger. It was the only reasonable explanation, because there was no way she could thing the man actually saw her the way that was written in the note.

She looked at Kate Beckett, who was sitting at her desk and Rick Castle, as always in the chair that was placed for him next to the Detective's place. It wasn't like she didn't know that they were in the relationship. She even thought that they were an item back when she met them. Being a good observer, she quickly noticed that they weren't; they were just dancing around each other, madly in love. The tension between them was perceptible from a huge distance. She would have to be an idiot not to notice what was between them. And, she surely saw the change in them after Kate Beckett asked her to hire her again and she agreed. The looks, the smiles, handshakes – much longer than a normal handshake was – hugs, even occasional, 'accidental' touches. Who they were kidding? But it was funny for her to watch them try so hard to hide everything. It was why she never said a word, because she utterly enjoyed how they were doing everything not to let her know about them. It wasn't like she was going to make them stop working together – Richard Castle wasn't a cop, after all. And right now they were showing her that they are able to act professionally at work.

She looked at the gift again. Yes, he definitely misplaced the earrings, and it looked that he was horribly worried about it. From what she could see, he didn't tell Beckett about it and it gave her an idea. She took a small sheet of paper and wrote few words on it. She glanced at the two again; now she only had to wait for a good opportunity. It happened sooner than she thought it would, when they went to get a coffee, _together_. The act of preparing the drink wasn't so complicated that they both needed to go there, and they weren't making it for the whole precinct. She smiled to herself and stood up; she didn't have much time before they come back.

* * *

Castle was scared. After he realized the mistake he had done, he couldn't help but think that there were two people who were going to kill him. First, there was Gates, who will definitely kill him for the note, because as much as he couldn't really remember the exact words he'd written, they were definitely the sign of affection. And of course, there was Beckett; how was he supposed to tell her that he didn't have _anything _for her now, because he gave her gift to Gates by accident? And, of course, there was also a chance that he's written something that would make the Captain know that they were together and it was something she wouldn't forgive him, too.

"Is everything okay, Castle?" he looked up and noticed Beckett's face, her eyes watching her carefully, a small smile gracing her lips. He knew the look so well, and loved it, just like he loved actually everything about her.

"Yeah…" he didn't sound convincing at all and her eyebrow immediately went up. "I'm just thinking of an idea I got for Nikki Heat and as much as it's great, I don't know how to make it work with the rest."

"Uhm.." she didn't believe him, not that it was a surprise for him. However, she let it go, at least for now. "Well, let's go back to my desk, I'll finish the paperwork and we can call it a night as we don't have any leads right now."

"Sounds good." he smiled and they slowly went back to Kate's desk, taking their seats.

"Don't stare at me like that Castle. It would take less time if you helped me, you know?" she said as she was filling the papers feeling his gaze.

"I'm not in a hurry, and I like watching you." she bend her head slightly to the side and flashed him another of her looks; he immediately thought how adorable she looked with it on her face.

It was only when he was looking for a phone, which he placed in the pocket of his jacket, he felt that there was something else. Something he definitely hadn't had there before. He took the small paper out and unfolded it.

_Next time you want to make her a surprise, check five times if you're placing the gift in the right place. _

He opened his mouth, shocked and immediately glanced in the direction of Gates' office. The Captain looked up, feeling him stare at her and he immediately knew what she was trying to imply.

"Castle?" he practically jumped, when he heard Beckett's voice again "What's going on with you and Gates today? First you walk around her, you glance at her every while, now you stare at her? Is there anything I should know?"

"What? No, of course not. Look, can we meet later at your place? I just remembered something."

"Okay…" said Kate, but was sure that he didn't hear her as he was already half way to the elevator.

For a moment she stared at the door, wondering what could cause him to act so strangely. Then she just shook her head and got back to work; it had to be just Castle being Castle.

* * *

He stood in front of the door to Kate's apartment and breathed in before knocking. He heard her shout "Just a moment!" and placed his hand in the pocket of his coat, to make sure that Kate's gift was there. He ran out of the precinct to buy something for her; it looked that she didn't have to know about the accident with Gates, but he didn't have earrings back. Well, even if he had them, he wouldn't want to give them to her just like that, when he practically gave them to another woman. Of course, she would get them, but not as a special, first Valentine's Day gift from him. But he didn't have the problem now, as he had no idea what happened to them, and he had a new gift for her.

When she finally opened the door, he noticed a huge grin appear on her face at the sight of him. Just after he stepped in and she closed the door, her arms were wrapped around his neck and she was hugging him tightly. Then, she kissed him, tenderly and lovingly, and when she moved slightly away he looked at her surprised.

"What did I get it for?" he asked, smiling and she brushed her hair behind her ear.

His mouth opened when he noticed the earring she was wearing; the very same as the one he meant as a gift for her.

"You were right, I love my gift. I still think that mine is better, but yours is wonderful, too!"

"I-I'm glad…" he babbled out and because of the way he looked like, she understood that something wasn't right.

"Castle, just say it."

He sighed, looked at her and after a moment of hesitation explained the whole situation to her. She was listening to him carefully, unsure if she should start laughing or shouting at him. It was only when he started to explain how hard he tried to get the earrings back before Gates finds them, that she realized that he has already gotten his punishment.

"I think that would make _this _your actual gift." he said, taking the box out of the pocked and giving it to her.

She needed only one look to know that it was also a piece of jewelry. She sighed, knowing that it must have cost a fortune. She slowly opened it, feeling how intensely he was staring at her. She saw a silver charm bracelet in the box, and gasped slightly when she noticed the word the attached letters were forming. The one word that seemed to mean absolutely everything for them, "_ALWAYS"_.

"I…" she smiled widely, feeling tears trying to make their ways to her eyes "I love it. Thank you." she cupped his face with her hand and kissed him.

"I'm really glad you like it." he smiled back at her, and then his lips widened to the grin "Now, what did you get for me?"

She chuckled; the impatient-child-version-of-Castle was back. But she loved this side of him too, it was very difficult not to. She didn't think of his story at the moment, at the fact that the earrings had to be placed in her pocket by Gates, that it meant the Captain had to know about them and all of the things it meant. It was their first Valentine's Day together and she wasn't going to ruin it by worrying. They had time for it, so she just stood up and took his hand, to show him the drawer she decided to gave to him. She was sure he wasn't going to understand it at first, but later he'll love it. And, as it turned out, she was completely right.


End file.
